K.V. Fischer’s diverse experiences as an attorney, certified civil mediator, registered dietitian, teacher, speaker, and published author with more than 20 years’ experience in the corporate, government, and private sectors have fueled her desire to assist people live fuller, richer lives. Although she is extensively published in nonfiction, with one book and more than 100 articles (the majority of which were ghost-written), her passion has always been writing suspense thrillers. Search Beyond Lies is the first in the Search & Recovery International Series and her second suspense thriller.
With 2 grown children, one a neurosurgeon and the other a radiation health physicist, she is fortunate to have go-to experts for some of her research. She lives in Colorado with her husband and their dog Brady; practices law in Colorado and Florida; and travels nationwide speaking and teaching.
Mount Beacon is the primary setting for the first part of Search Beyond Lies. Is it a real place? Although I have been known to use the real name of a real place in my writing, it’s not my norm.
Mount Beacon – The Name
My first book was a nonfiction book titled, A Beacon for Life. The name “beacon” was chosen for sentimental reasons. A Beacon for Life
is an inspirational written to help people through difficult times. For
me, it was cathartic since it helped me work through my difficult
journey while pregnant with my second child, Mary Kathryn, who was
trisomy 13.
The Place—Is It Real?
The place is real. It is Mount Meeker, one of the most dangerous mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park. The information presented in the book regarding the mountain is based on my research of Mount Meeker and discussions with a number of the volunteers.
Mount Meeker
The selfie taken on the summit of Mount Meeker is fact. When Brian Perri summited Mount Meeker on June 30, 2018, he took a selfie and sent it to a friend.
Nick Sangetta hiked Mount Meeker as a dedication to Brian, J.C., and the other volunteers. You can find his dedication on YouTube and get a first-hand feel for the danger presented on this treacherous mountain.
Mount Meeker Left / Longs Peak Right
My brother has hiked mountains all over the world and I asked him to view Nick’s video so he could provide me with insight into Charlie’s search for Brett and check my story for accuracy. I want my research and story to be correct always. He told me that Mount Meeker is very dangerous to hike, especially alone.
The descriptions presented, including the lone columbine in an area that seemed hopeless to support life are real. This photo was taken by Kimo during their search.
I had provided an advanced reader copy to a few of the volunteers who felt they were reliving their journey.
Search Beyond Lies is a work of fiction that is inspired by real events and real people. There are people who lived through the tragedy as a participant in the search and rescue, others were affected either directly or indirectly through a loved one, the news, or as a prayer warrior. Still others first heard of the events during this book’s release and afterward. There were enough requests and questions where I felt it was time to write this Fact or Fiction Series.
As we explore what is behind Search Beyond Lies, we’ll delve a little deeper into the creative process in developing the characters, story, and the “Aha” moment.
Writers retreat
the characters
Fictional characters are created from the author’s
experiences with real people. Authors people watch, live and work with people,
and develop an understanding of which actions trigger certain reactions. The
author “sees” the characters and their characters’ lives as the story develops.
Often the author studies personality types and may develop their characters
based on certain personality types.
An author may hang a
picture of how they visualize their character to help keep him or her focused
and in the character’s head. The picture may be:
Physical or electronic.
An actor, a friend of
theirs or family member.
Designed after a particular
person, whether as a villain if someone has been giving the author a hard time,
or the hero/heroine.
Regardless, often a real person inspires some portion of the character.
Graduation
the place
Although the place can be a real place with the
real named location, often authors create their own fictional location that may
be inspired by a real location.
As a lawyer, I’m inclined to create a fictional location, that may or may not be inspired by a real place, especially when writing a suspense thriller. The exception may be if nothing “bad” happens there.
the story
Some authors are plotters, others are “pantsers” (they write
by the seat of their pants), and some have worked a hybrid.
Plotters outline their entire story before they begin
writing. They know the end ahead of time.
Pantsers live the story as they write. They have no idea how it will end until they get to THE END. The hybrid form is used by some pantsers, like me, where traditional outlining doesn’t work for our creative process, but as a practicing attorney without a lot of time on my hands, I want to avoid wasting it.
The problem with writing by the seat of your pants is that when you reach the end, prior scenes may no longer fit the story and you would have wasted a lot of time on detail and dialogue that no longer works.
When you write the brief scene summaries telling the story, you discover the end as you write, without wasting time creating the detail and dialogue that cannot be used. It’s the best of both worlds!
In Part 2, we’ll explore one of the key places where Search Beyond Lies begins–Mount Beacon. Is it a real place? Is there anything specific that piqued your curiosity?
Search Beyond Lies, Book One in the Search & Recovery Series
Search Beyond Lies is a work of fiction, but it was inspired by true events. What follows is the tribute I wrote at the time to Brian Joseph Perri, J.C. Fischer, and Kimo McEwen.
An Inspiring Rare Friendship
An inspiring rare friendship is contagious. If you have two people you can call “friend” during your lifetime, you have a rare gift. Most of us have what amounts to as acquaintances. Yes, we may have a good time and periodically help each other professionally or personally, but what if your friend went missing? To what extent would you put your world on hold and jeopardize your safety, well-being, and your own life to find that friend? What I witnessed were two such friends when they discovered their friend went missing…
The Defense
My son, J.C., defended his master’s
thesis on Thursday, July 5, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. Brian, a friend of his from the
program, promised to attend, but he was absent. When it became clear that no
one had seen him since the Friday before, a Missing Person’s Report was filed.
It was the Fourth of July week and not unusual for someone to be gone … until
he was expected.
Mount Meeker
Brian Joseph Perri, a former special operations-trained paratrooper, usually went hiking alone. A graduate of the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training program, he was trained, tortured, and dropped without any provision into unknown territory and passed with flying colors. He was an avid hiker and fell in love with the Colorado Rockies, successfully summiting several fourteeners. Mount Meeker, one of the most dangerous mountains in the Rocky Mountain National Park, beaconed him. At 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 30, 2018, he reached the summit and sent a selfie to someone who asked to be picked up from the airport. M
Missing
Brian’s car was found at the trailhead of Mount Meeker that night, and on Friday, the search began. Kimo, Brian’s former army roommate from special operations flew in from Maine to help J.C. find their friend. Although neither were mountain hikers (this was Kimo’s first visit to the Colorado Rockies), they were bound and determined to find their friend and bring him down from the mountain. P
Park Rangers
The park rangers did their part and
sent up the Alpine Team to repel down the cliff side of Mount Meeker along with
others who searched the terrain. Twenty-two square miles of rough terrain is no
easy task. Helicopters and canine units were used. At this time, there were
fires in Colorado, and on Sunday, the helicopters had to be diverted from their
search. Not to be deterred, the rangers got permission to use a drone—the first
ever used in the Rocky Mountain National Park.V
volunteers
J.C. and Kimo never gave up, searching
every day possible for their friend. Priscilla Jane Kurtz Williams, unable to
hike because of ankle surgery, set up a social media presence and a GoFundMe
account to help with the search. Jordie, Kimo’s wife, gave him the blessing to
go to Colorado to aid the search while she held down the fort with their 3
children. She also helped with research, social media, and outreach. Brian was
very close to his sister, Becky, who handled what she could from New York and
was the family contact.
J.C. & Kimo searching for Brian Perri — Mount Meeker
All of their efforts brought in many
volunteers; some of the rangers even continued their search on their day off
after searching for 5 straight days. One week turned into two. Still, there was
hope—Brian was a survivor.
Fox 31 News followed J.C. and Kimo up (and the camera man took a vacation day to return the next day without his camera to help search). They quoted J.C. in the title of their story: “I will not let this mountain be my friend’s grave.” Friends continue search for the missing hiker.
found
Four weeks to the day that Brian
summited Mount Meeker, the park rangers responded to a visitor’s GPS tracking device,
which denoted a sign of distress. J.C. and Kimo saw them going up the mountain as
they were coming down one last time—after hiking more than 200 miles within 3
weeks, their bodies were too broken to continue. Despite the approaching storm,
the park rangers hiked up, and in their search for the injured hiker, they
found Brian. Park officials believe he fell 25 to 40 feet and died instantly.
It was the cliff side with very dangerous rocks and crevices.
“Why did so many who never knew Brian come?” my son asked a number of these volunteers, because he was so overwhelmed with the support of strangers. Over and over he was told that they were inspired by this rare friendship. It was J.C. and Kimo’s care, concern, persistence, loyalty, and dedication to finding their friend that exemplified true friendship—and that is a contagious type of friendship. So few people experience such a friendship; Brian was blessed with two such friends. Brian impacted the lives of many people both directly and indirectly, and his legacy and gifts will live on through these people—paying it forward throughout each life. Rest in peace, Brian—you were loved.
Welcome back to APODS, one technique for reaching the elusive “The End.” Today we’re going to start our discussion of the analysis phase. As the title line says, this means answering the tough questions. Since I want to keep this relatively simple, I’ve limited myself to three questions that I think every author should answer. The first two help us identify what is special about us and our books; the last identifies barriers to reaching “The End.”
First Question
Why do you write? This first question may sound simple, but answering it may not be. Each of us has a different reason for writing. Some of us write because we need to pay the bills, others because characters have invaded our brains and won’t leave until we tell their stories. Others hear a snippet of conversation and start asking, “What happened next?” There’s no right answer and no wrong one. The key is to identify the reason you write.
Why do you write?
A corollary to this question is, “Do you want to write, or do you need to write?” This is a variation on the “Is writing what you do or who you are?” question that Francine Mathews posed to attendees at the 2004 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers conference. The difference is fundamental. Again, there are no right answers, but I will tell you that if you need to write, if writing is who you are, you’ll find it easier to reach “The End.” Simply put, if you cannot not write, if not writing leaves an empty place inside you, you’ll be more likely to persist even when it’s difficult.
Second Question
Why is this the book of your dreams?
On to the next question. Why is this the book of your dreams? Don’t just let the answers bounce through your brain. Take a minute to record them. What makes this book special? What makes you want – or need – to tell this particular story? Why will your life be incomplete if you don’t finish it?
If you can’t answer the question or if your first response doesn’t ring true, I suspect you’ll have trouble finishing the book. Writing is hard work. Don’t ever doubt that. But if this truly is the book of your dreams, you’ll be able to persevere through the difficult times.
Once you’ve answered this question, save your answer. You did put it in writing, didn’t you? If you keyed it into a document, print it out and put it in a place where you’ll be able to retrieve it easily. Why? If you’re like most authors, you’ll find stumbling blocks along the road to “The End.” There will be times when you hate the book or are convinced it’s the worst prose in the English language. (For me, that happens regularly when I reach the middle of the first draft.) This is the time to pull out your answer and remind yourself why this book is special. Trust me, that little piece of paper helps.
Third Question
What is keeping you from finishing the book?
Our final question is, What is keeping you from finishing the book? When I’ve asked writers why they have so many unfinished manuscripts, the answers have fallen into four categories:
Not enough time
Conflicting priorities
Fear of rejection
Fear of success
Starting next month, we’ll focus on the first two. Your assignment in the meantime is to reflect on these three questions. Think – really think – about why writing and this particular book are so important to you. The answers may surprise you.
Amanda Cabot
Amanda Cabot is no stranger to getting to “The End.” She juggled a sixty-hour a week job with nonnegotiable deadlines and building a house long-distance at the same time that she wrote two books a year. Whether or not she kept her sanity during that time is debatable. Amanda is the best-selling author of over thirty novels, eight novellas, four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city. Her most recent release is A Borrowed Dream, the second in the Cimarron Creek trilogy.
(C) 2018 Amanda Cabot
A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot Cimarron Creek Trilogy
Unfortunately we live in a very litigious society, which is why it’s important to be made aware of the legal pitfalls. This series will give you a heads up on what to watch for and can also provide an understanding as to why publishers may have certain provisions in their contracts or take a stance with respect to some aspects of the work, for example, whether an author wants to use real places and historical figures.
The Contract
General Resource
Please note, Writers Beware of the Legal Pitfalls is a series that is intended to be used as a general resource only and is NOT legal advice. You CANNOT rely on it as a substitute for legal counsel from your attorney.
Who Can File A Lawsuit?
Litigious Society
First of all, anyone can file a lawsuit about anything. Once filed, the defendant has to defend him or herself which can get quite expensive. Although frivolous lawsuits are supposed to be dismissed, that is not necessarily the case.
I’d like to open with a few examples of lawsuits that thankfully were dismissed just to give you some perspective.
Off the Wall
A convicted serial killer sued an author for $60 million. Even though the felon was found guilty and waited on death row, he claimed innocence in the 16 murders. His claim was based on the writer’s characterization of him as a serial killer, which he believed was misleading, false, and “defamed his good name.” He also claimed that he would be “shunned by society and unable to find decent employment” once he was able to return to life outside jail. Needless to say, the judge threw out the case in just 46 seconds, but it still cost the writer’s publisher $30,000 in legal fees.
Silence
Music
Can you be sued for silence? Mike Batt, a musician, was sued for plagiarism after including on his album a silent song. Yes, silence. There were no vocals or music. The late John Cage’s publishers sued this musician for silence claiming it “ripped off Cage’s” album which contained no vocals or music. We don’t know what the outcome is of copyrighting silence because Batt agreed to a six-figure out of court settlement.
The Sleeping Student
When a teacher slammed her palm on the desk of a sleeping student in an effort to wake him up, she was hit with a law suit. Yes, he claimed she damaged his hearing. Really??
Batman
Batman
I am not sure how many of you are Batman fans, but did you know there is a city in Turkey with the name Batman? The mayor sued Warner Brothers as well as Christopher Nolan, the Dark Knight director, for using the name Batman without their permission. Did they just realize the existence of this superhero after 70 years or did they want to take advantage of the movie’s billion-dollar income? It’s up to you.
Suing Yourself?
Nothing ceases to amaze me. An inmate sued himself in Chesapeake, VA. He was arrested for breaking & entering as well as grand larceny. He was upset with himself so he decided to sue himself for $5 million dollars for a civil rights offense — his own religious beliefs were violated by himself. Because he didn’t have the $5 million to pay himself, he requested that the state pay. Needless to say, his suit fortunately was thrown out.
There are many more off the wall lawsuits, but the fact is, they are a reality we need to be made aware of. Next month we’ll take a look at copyright basics.
My Dad: Christian Van Den Heuvel – Exercise is Key: A Tribute to Our Military
Did you have a memorable Independence Day? I did. One critical fact I couldn’t help but think about is that FREEDOM ISN’T FREE — it comes at a great cost. I want to thank all of those military men and women who have served our country, who now serve our country, and who will serve our country. I also want to thank those who train our military service dogs who play such a key role in securing our freedom. Without all of you … the thought makes me shudder.
God bless America!
Silent Heroes – Military Service Dogs
Freedom of Speech
One of the greatest freedoms granted to writers is the freedom of speech. Without that right, we could not express our views, write those stories we have a passion to share, and help those who could not receive help without the written word.
A Beacon for Life
A Beacon for Life
I had 3 children — 2 surviving who I am incredibly proud of and one who came between them. Mary Kathryn was Trisomy 18 and stillborn. It was a very difficult time and I wrote a book, A Beacon for Life. For me, it was cathartic, and I wrote it with the intention to only help others. The thought of making anything off of it wasn’t even in the picture. A traditional publisher picked it up, but as with all new authors, the contract clauses were grey, non-negotiable, and standard. At the time, I traveled the country doing speaking engagements and my goal was to buy books to donate. The publisher set my retail price at the high end for a book that size and my mere 30% author discount didn’t make my book affordable for me to purchase and donate.
One evening I got a call… . This was the beginning of print on demand and that is how my publisher operated. Someone ordered 3 books and 303 books were printed. They had no way to store them and wanted me to buy them. Needless to say, I negotiated them down to $3 per book and donated them. I have letters from those my book helped that I keep as a reminder of the importance of the written word. My book helped more than I could have ever imagined.
Make A Difference
As a writer, we all have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others. Does that mean we need to be published to make that impact? Most of us think the answer to that question is a resounding YES. However, I am here to tell you that the answer is NO. Yes, you have the opportunity to reach more people if you are published (but that does not mean you will); the more important goal is to reach those you are intended to reach.
Taking a hike
My son recently told me how thankful he is of my writing. I am an older mom (almost 37 when I had my son). He told me it was comforting to know that all he had to do was read something I wrote to hear my “voice.” You do not need to be published to hear the voice of the author and gain encouragement and help from their written word. I know a “young” man whose mom was never published, but whose written word provides comfort and inspiration to this day. Who do you want to reach?
Welcome Amanda Cabot back to Thyme for Writers with the first in her series on time management and getting to “The End!” Amanda is no stranger to getting to “The End.” She juggled a sixty-hour a week job with nonnegotiable deadlines and building a house long-distance at the same time that she wrote two books a year. Whether or not she kept her sanity during that time is debatable. Amanda is the best-selling author of over thirty novels, eight novellas, four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city. Her most recent release is A Borrowed Dream, the second in the Cimarron Creek trilogy.
Getting to “The End”
Have you ever started a book, filled with enthusiasm and certain that this will become the next #1 New York Times bestseller, but somehow you never finished it?
Have you ever said, “If only I had more time, I’d write a book”?
Thyme for Writers
Have you ever wondered how some writers manage to complete multiple books in a year when you still haven’t finished the book of your heart?
If you’ve answered “yes” to any of those questions, I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone. While these can hardly be classified as the great mysteries of the universe, they are questions that plague many writers.
The good news is that there are solutions to the problem of not reaching the elusive “The End.” The bad news is that the solutions are multi-faceted. While you might believe that a course in time management will solve your problem, it’s only one aspect of the solution and not even the first one to be addressed.
APODS
Over the next five months (maybe more, if I become too long-winded on any of the posts), we’re going to talk about a system I’ve given the acronym APODS. This not-so-catchy name stands for Analysis, Priorities, Organization, Discipline, and Support. (See what I mean about time management being only part of the solution?)
Let’s take a quick look at each of the five subjects.
Getting to “The End”
You can’t solve a problem unless you can identify it. Remember the adage about the person whose only tool is a hammer seeing every problem as a nail? You don’t want to be caught in that trap. That’s where Analysis comes into play. It helps you determine why you haven’t finished that book.
Establishing Priorities ensures that you’re working on the right things and that you understand the implications, what some call the opportunity cost, of each decision you make.
Proper Organization helps you make the most of the time you have by using some hints from industry experts.
Discipline could be nicknamed “just do it,” but we’ll talk about techniques that will make just doing it easier.
And finally, you can’t succeed without Support. While you may think of all support as coming from the people around you, we’ll also discuss the internal support process, which is equally critical.
There it is in a nutshell: the APODS technique for finishing your manuscript and living to tell another story.
Have I intrigued you? I hope so, because I’m looking forward to your comments and questions as we journey from those initial moments of wild enthusiasm along the long and sometimes difficult road to “The End.”
(C) 2018 Amanda Cabot
You can find Amanda at:
A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot Cimarron Creek Trilogy
If writing that book and getting it published were only that easy … . If it was just a matter of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys) …, but it’s not. In today’s fast-paced technological society, writing is a multifaceted business.
Thyme for Writers
Since writing is a long, difficult, and solitary road for the most part,
The Author Toolbox
Thyme for Writers is meant to lighten your load for each facet of writing. It’s purpose is to be:
a source of inspiration to writers and readers alike with words of encouragement and uplifting stories that bring a smile to your face; and
a go-to resource with helpful hints, tools, and knowledge.
Technology
To help you through the technology behind it all, Candee Fick shared her Author Toolbox. A tool everyone should have on their “shelf.” If you haven’t checked it out yet, it may be “thyme.”
The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words by Kathryn Ross
Writing Tips
Kathryn Ross is back with her monthly, The Write Spice – Writing Tips for Flavorful Words. If you haven’t seen her posts yet, wait no further. Each article is just a click away:
One of the largest stumbling blocks for most people, especially writers, is time management. I am excited to have Amanda Cabot as a monthly guest, the fourth Thursday of each month for her series on time management. She not only teaches workshops on this subject, but her life is a reflection of how well it works as a multi-published author who juggled a sixty-hour a week job with nonnegotiable deadlines while building a house long-distance at the same time that she wrote two books a year.
Legal Pitfalls
Writers Beware of the Legal Pitfalls
As a writer, reader, or someone who may have your own website, you are probably following some of the legal issues that hit the news lately — GDPR compliance and trademark issues to name just a couple. To provide some insight on what may be lurking, I will start a monthly series the third Thursday of the month as an educational resource — Writers Beware of the Legal Pitfalls. As with the workshops and university Business Law courses I teach, this series is meant for educational purposes as a general resource ONLY and NOT to provide legal advice. For any legal issues you may have, you will need to speak to your attorney.
I’ll continue to feature other guests on Thyme for Writers… . I hope you enjoy what’s to come!
Kathryn Ross is back with Sage Advice When There’s No Thyme to Write! I’m sure you’ll enjoy this article as much as I did… . Thank you Kathryn!
The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words by Kathryn Ross
I’ve just returned to the world of written words, blog posts, and editing projects from a hiatus of too-much-busy. April, May, and now seemingly June, have been a whirlwind of overwhelm. Other than my writing, my full plate involved the birth of a new grandson, settling into the new normal of Nana duty each week, opening the lakehouse ministry my husband and I manage for Christian leaders, transforming a vacant marketplace facility into a one-day history museum with over 40 exhibits and historical re-enactors for our hometown’s Founder’s Day event, and the preparation of my father’s house for the impending arrival of my sister and her husband moving back to our hometown. All this, and a sprained foot, too!
Fur Baby
Oh—and did I mention keeping up with my husband’s routine and regular home-front duties? And the cats, of course.
Yeah. I had to cut something from the to-do list or nothing would ever be to-done.
To that end, I needed to take a break from blogging until I could dedicate serious hours to my writing, once again. In so doing, I have learned a few things to encourage the writer who just can’t find the thyme to write—let alone the words and inspiration. Here’s my sage advice in case you find yourself in your own whirlwind of overwhelm with deadlines looming:
Turn Deadlines into Lifelines.
Stop
When we struggle with too many things requiring our attention, all at the same time, we lose the ability to focus with excellence on any one thing. We may try to make our deadline, only to turn in a poorly crafted piece that is not a true representation of our ability. What we produce will have little to no benefit on our readers. We flail about like a swimmer drowning in the ocean. STOP. Stop floundering with wasted energy and little focus. Float instead. Accept that priorities may need to be readjusted for a season. Reorder responsibilities so they are manageable when new or unexpected things step into the picture. This may mean asking for an extension on a post’s due date, or even a lengthier delay in order to turn a deadline into a lifeline, allowing room to breathe, think, and function.
Retreat to Advance.
Retreat
My husband and I manage a lakehouse retreat for Christian leaders in the church, home, and arts—including writers–in need of a respite to renew and be refreshed for ministry. As I was readying the lakehouse in anticipation of its formal dedication, I became aware that I was simply going through the motions of organizing an event. I had not fully connected to the ministry concept, even though I have spent years teaching and studying on developing a sanctuary lifestyle of retreat and renewal. On the day of the dedication, I sat by the water, waiting for the guests to arrive, and realized for the first time in months that I was in need of a respite! Just those couple of hours in a quiet, sanctuary setting prior to everyone’s arrival, realigned my inner compass with the knowledge that my greatest need to restore my writing routine was not time—but REST. I have to book myself to use the lakehouse retreat before I can adequately expect to advance in my writing goals and continued ministry.
Take Time to Smell the Flowers.
In my book, Fragrant Fields: Poetic Reflections for Journaling, I share the story of driving about on a busy day of errands when I passed a huge field of flowers I’d never seen before. The sight arrested my soul—I just had to pull over and stare into it for a while. The powerful fragrance settled my stressed mind and body. My mouth opened in spontaneous prayer, thanking the Lord for such a generous gift—to RENEW! I don’t remember how long I lingered there, but I do remember the moments spent in the field being permanently etched upon my spirit. Returning home, I was inspired to write—words pouring forth from the impact of a close encounter with my Lord built into the curative glories of Creation.
Stop. Rest. Renew
Stop. Rest. Renew.
It’s a very similar recipe for the writer short on time to write. But also, extremely difficult to purpose into our crowded lives. Most of us are active achievers, skimping on personal time. Yet, we can achieve more when we recognize when our calendar fills to overflowing, and are brave enough to turn off the spicket. Stop. Make the effort to do nothing. Rest. Breathe in the goodness of God in our stillness—He is ever present with a bouquet of good things and beauty to give us. Renew.
So, I’m back. And better for it. I look forward to diligently applying my own sage advice to my literary life. And in so doing—make the thyme to write.
The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words By Kathryn Ross
Writer-speaker, Kathryn Ross, ignites a love of literature and learning through Pageant Wagon Productions and Publishing. She writes and publishes homeschool enrichment and Christian living books for home, church, and school. Her passion is to equip women and families in developing a Family Literacy Lifestyle, producing readers and thinkers who can engage the world from a biblical worldview. She blogs and podcasts at TheWritersReverie.com and PageantWagonPublishing.com. Connect with Miss Kathy on Facebook.
Those periods in your life when there is no “thyme” to write, may just be one of those times when inspiration happens for your next season of writing. Your next season may include getting over a writer’s block, burnout, a new blog series, an article for your next blog, the next book, the next series, the next book in a series, or a short story to name just a few. We are all in a different place in our journeys.
Inspiration for Your Season of Writing
No “Thyme” to Write
My last article let you know that for the month of May, there was just no time to write, and I wasn’t the only one. Kathryn Ross, who is a monthly contributor to Thyme for Writers with her series, The Write Spice became a new grandmother and had no “thyme” for the month of May either, but she will be back in June.
Graduation
Graduation
For me, the month of May included three graduations and a pinning ceremony. Wow, talk about inspiration… .
Congratulations JC!
The first two graduations were local and only one day apart:
My Son graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Radiological Health Sciences, and
his very special lady graduated with her bachelors in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.
Hooding of Victoria by Her Grandfather
Pinning Ceremony
One week later we all traveled to our nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. for my daughter’s graduation from Georgetown School of Medicine. My father who graduated from Georgetown School of Medicine 59 years earlier hooded her. It was a beautiful ceremony, a very special time in our lives. We also attended her pinning ceremony where she was promoted to captain and pinned by her dad (my husband). The next leg of her journey is her Neurosurgery Residency — she was one of two army selected (one of 3 military).
Talk about inspiration… . One thing I can guarantee is that these beautiful events in my life which gave me no “thyme” to write, did provide inspiration for my next season of writing — another book (yes, that story is brewing), articles, and more… .
Establishing Priorities ensures that you’re working on the right things and that you understand the implications, what some call the opportunity cost, of each decision you make.
